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jen_meds_book_reviews's review against another edition
sad
4.0
The Abandoned is an intriguing novel that follows protagonist Peggy as she navigates life in 1950'S Dublin. Now, for me, the 1950's feels sort of like it is a long time ago - before I was born and not too long after the war, so the attitudes of the menfolk towards women should not really come as much of a surprise. But when you think that, for the majority of us, this is out parents, or if you are really young, Grandparents generation, it is strange to think that some of the liberties we (mostly) enjoy today as women, were not available to our predecessors. Now, I'm not talking anything major, or at least not in my eyes, but the most basic of things such as the right to be treated with respect, to have command over our own bodies and to determine when, or even if, we wish to have a child. These are some of the themes explored by Sharon Thompson in this novel, as well as organised crime and, surprisingly perhaps, mental health.
Peggy Bowden is, what would politely be called, a Madame. She runs a house of ill repute and specialises in services which were very much illegal at the time in question - providing abortions to those who need them. Young, unwed women, whose lives would not be worth living if such scandal was uncovered, or even mothers who, several children in, cannot cope with another addition to the family. Now Ireland is a devout Catholic country and it is only in all too recent years that provision of such services have been legalised, or that attitudes to single motherhood have changed. Matters were dealt with in very different ways back in the 1950's, and falling fowl of the law had already cost Peggy plenty, landing her in gaol and leaving her with little options than to pursue the life she is leading when we first meet.
Now, nothing in that life is straightforward, as you'd probably expect, and a lapse in concentration leads to a devastating event. This is just the forst of many life changing events for Peggy, and as we journey along this unexpected road with her, I felt a mixture of emotions, sometimes anger, sometimes pity, very often sadness, knowing that her situation was born from the unfairness of genetics. For the want of a slightly different set of chromosomes, her life might have been vastly different. I did like Peggy. I was intrigued by her feisty, defiant nature, but also by the unpredictable moments of insecurity and vulnerability that we got to witness. She was someone just looking for someone to love her in the way her Mammy had, and yet who failed to find this unconditional love at every turn.
Sharon Thompson leads us into the world of organized crime, with a previously unknown family connection providing Peggy the financial security if not the love. Despite this, her life becomes ever more complicated, and at times it was actually much easier to feel for Peggy, despite some of the seemingly suspect choices she makes. We track her descent into a kind of melancholy, or perhaps madness, the cause of which can't really be pinpointed to one single act, but from what we learn of Peggy's past, I can see it was somewhat inevitable. The book really seems to capture the spirit of the city and the time, and I felt transported back to a time where life may have been simpler on the surface, but was on the cusp of something different. Something new. The narrative is perfectly paced, and the descriptions clear, allowing me to clearly picture both time and space, and the characters who inhabited it.
This was, as a say, a really intriguing, often thought provoking read. Seeing everything that is happening in the world of late, particularly in North America where women's rights are slowly but surely being eroded in many ultra conservative states, it's a very relevant novel too. The 'Me Too' movement is too well established to allow our rights to be set back as far as this perhaps, but it certainly doesn't take a lot of imagination to put ourselves into some of these women's shoes when perhaps, just a few short years ago, we might have been able to say 'never again.'
Peggy Bowden is, what would politely be called, a Madame. She runs a house of ill repute and specialises in services which were very much illegal at the time in question - providing abortions to those who need them. Young, unwed women, whose lives would not be worth living if such scandal was uncovered, or even mothers who, several children in, cannot cope with another addition to the family. Now Ireland is a devout Catholic country and it is only in all too recent years that provision of such services have been legalised, or that attitudes to single motherhood have changed. Matters were dealt with in very different ways back in the 1950's, and falling fowl of the law had already cost Peggy plenty, landing her in gaol and leaving her with little options than to pursue the life she is leading when we first meet.
Now, nothing in that life is straightforward, as you'd probably expect, and a lapse in concentration leads to a devastating event. This is just the forst of many life changing events for Peggy, and as we journey along this unexpected road with her, I felt a mixture of emotions, sometimes anger, sometimes pity, very often sadness, knowing that her situation was born from the unfairness of genetics. For the want of a slightly different set of chromosomes, her life might have been vastly different. I did like Peggy. I was intrigued by her feisty, defiant nature, but also by the unpredictable moments of insecurity and vulnerability that we got to witness. She was someone just looking for someone to love her in the way her Mammy had, and yet who failed to find this unconditional love at every turn.
Sharon Thompson leads us into the world of organized crime, with a previously unknown family connection providing Peggy the financial security if not the love. Despite this, her life becomes ever more complicated, and at times it was actually much easier to feel for Peggy, despite some of the seemingly suspect choices she makes. We track her descent into a kind of melancholy, or perhaps madness, the cause of which can't really be pinpointed to one single act, but from what we learn of Peggy's past, I can see it was somewhat inevitable. The book really seems to capture the spirit of the city and the time, and I felt transported back to a time where life may have been simpler on the surface, but was on the cusp of something different. Something new. The narrative is perfectly paced, and the descriptions clear, allowing me to clearly picture both time and space, and the characters who inhabited it.
This was, as a say, a really intriguing, often thought provoking read. Seeing everything that is happening in the world of late, particularly in North America where women's rights are slowly but surely being eroded in many ultra conservative states, it's a very relevant novel too. The 'Me Too' movement is too well established to allow our rights to be set back as far as this perhaps, but it certainly doesn't take a lot of imagination to put ourselves into some of these women's shoes when perhaps, just a few short years ago, we might have been able to say 'never again.'
mistymoon24's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
3.0
Wonderfully developed character and narration. This story was quite dark and well written, but not one of my favourites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Rape and Abortion
btpbookclub's review against another edition
5.0
This story is set in Dublin in the 1950s and starts off with a dark and deep prologue to capture the readers appetite fast. This is a brilliant story and different from the every day thrillers we usually read. This is crime, suspense and historical fiction together which has made an amazing story I devoured.
The Abandoned is well written, easy to read, fast paced and contains short chapters. I could easily have finished this in one sitting and was very impressed. I enjoyed every minute reading this story, I was hooked. I am a big fan of historical fiction and this really is a book I loved and enjoyed.
I awarded a well deserved five stars and would highly recommend this story to you all, a must buy from me. Brilliant. High expectations are set for future books by Sharon Thompson an author to keep your eye on. A story you won’t forget quickly.
The Abandoned is well written, easy to read, fast paced and contains short chapters. I could easily have finished this in one sitting and was very impressed. I enjoyed every minute reading this story, I was hooked. I am a big fan of historical fiction and this really is a book I loved and enjoyed.
I awarded a well deserved five stars and would highly recommend this story to you all, a must buy from me. Brilliant. High expectations are set for future books by Sharon Thompson an author to keep your eye on. A story you won’t forget quickly.
angie50's review against another edition
4.0
I found this an interesting read as it was historical fiction as well as crime thriller. It did take me a little while to get into it but when I did I thoroughly enjoyed it.
sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
4.0
Set in the 1950’s you really get a sense of what life was like back then. People’s attitudes as well as how women were still pretty much pushed into the back ground.
Peggy has been through a lot and is still going through hard times trying to survive. What she has been through has hardened her somewhat which made me unsure with how I felt about her. I certainly had empathy for her but then I can’t say I agreed with some of the things she does either. Peggy certainly wants a better life but it is very hard for her to get out of the binds that tie her into a very dangerous world.
There are lots of unsavoury characters in the book. Definitely ones that I would run a mile away from. The attitude of most of the men I have to admit infuriated me. Most had such little respect for women of which really got my back up. I am so glad I live in a world where we live as equals. Like Peggy, I would have found it very hard to keep my mouth closed and not give them what for!
The author certainly doesn’t sugar coat anything in the story. She takes us on a dark and disturbing journey into a world of which I was so glad I wasn’t part of.
The Abandoned is a raw and gritty read that I couldn’t put down. Gripped from the off, Peggy’s life is a captivating one that you won’t want to miss. A promising debut from a very promising author. Look forward to reading more.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Peggy has been through a lot and is still going through hard times trying to survive. What she has been through has hardened her somewhat which made me unsure with how I felt about her. I certainly had empathy for her but then I can’t say I agreed with some of the things she does either. Peggy certainly wants a better life but it is very hard for her to get out of the binds that tie her into a very dangerous world.
There are lots of unsavoury characters in the book. Definitely ones that I would run a mile away from. The attitude of most of the men I have to admit infuriated me. Most had such little respect for women of which really got my back up. I am so glad I live in a world where we live as equals. Like Peggy, I would have found it very hard to keep my mouth closed and not give them what for!
The author certainly doesn’t sugar coat anything in the story. She takes us on a dark and disturbing journey into a world of which I was so glad I wasn’t part of.
The Abandoned is a raw and gritty read that I couldn’t put down. Gripped from the off, Peggy’s life is a captivating one that you won’t want to miss. A promising debut from a very promising author. Look forward to reading more.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
bookishbiker's review against another edition
4.0
What a great debut! Ms Thompson creates a wonderful world full of intrigue with a protagonist that is both troubling and relatable - even as you question her deeds, you find yourself understanding her reasons and admiring her ability to put herself at risk to do what needs to be done. Add to that the extremely vivid descriptions of 1950's Dublin, and this book is one that is difficult to put down!
keeperofpages's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars - I can honestly say I’ve not read a historical crime fiction novel like this one before – there was so much I enjoyed about this novel and so much that didn’t work for me, and even after pondering my thoughts for a few days, I’m still conflicted.
Let’s start with what I really enjoyed – the character of Peggy Bowden. She was such an interesting character, she had this hard-outer image that she portrayed to the world because she felt it was necessary for her survival, as a woman, in 1950’s Ireland; but I could see this vulnerability in her, and despite some of her horrid actions, it made me warm to her character.
“The back of my hand is wet with my sorrow and shame.”
What Peggy experiences, some will say is karma, but there was one point in this book where my heart broke for her because of what she went through, and she went through it alone.
I really enjoyed the first half of this novel, I liked that the historical fiction setting was the seedy underworld of Ireland as oppose to the “prim and proper” – that gave this novel a dark atmosphere which echoed the themes mentioned in this novel.
Where things started to take a turn for me was when Peggy found herself fully immersed in the criminal underworld. I thought things became a bit too extreme in the sense that this went from being a novel high in believability, a character [Peggy] who’s fate I was interested in learning about in a more profound [for want of a better word] way into this novel with a “criminal gangster vibe” – this change in dynamic didn’t work for me.
There’s no denying The Abandoned is rich in its raw grittiness, and I must mention, it contains themes of back street abortions that some readers may find disturbing, but the overall novel isn’t disturbing in it’s delivery.
As I mentioned I really enjoyed the first half of this novel, can you recommend a book on only enjoying half of it? Sadly, I don’t think you can, but I’ve seen the potential in this novel and I will read Thompson’s next book to see how I find it.
*My thanks to the publisher (Bloodhound Books) for granting me access to a digital copy of this novel via Netgalley*
Let’s start with what I really enjoyed – the character of Peggy Bowden. She was such an interesting character, she had this hard-outer image that she portrayed to the world because she felt it was necessary for her survival, as a woman, in 1950’s Ireland; but I could see this vulnerability in her, and despite some of her horrid actions, it made me warm to her character.
“The back of my hand is wet with my sorrow and shame.”
What Peggy experiences, some will say is karma, but there was one point in this book where my heart broke for her because of what she went through, and she went through it alone.
I really enjoyed the first half of this novel, I liked that the historical fiction setting was the seedy underworld of Ireland as oppose to the “prim and proper” – that gave this novel a dark atmosphere which echoed the themes mentioned in this novel.
Where things started to take a turn for me was when Peggy found herself fully immersed in the criminal underworld. I thought things became a bit too extreme in the sense that this went from being a novel high in believability, a character [Peggy] who’s fate I was interested in learning about in a more profound [for want of a better word] way into this novel with a “criminal gangster vibe” – this change in dynamic didn’t work for me.
There’s no denying The Abandoned is rich in its raw grittiness, and I must mention, it contains themes of back street abortions that some readers may find disturbing, but the overall novel isn’t disturbing in it’s delivery.
As I mentioned I really enjoyed the first half of this novel, can you recommend a book on only enjoying half of it? Sadly, I don’t think you can, but I’ve seen the potential in this novel and I will read Thompson’s next book to see how I find it.
*My thanks to the publisher (Bloodhound Books) for granting me access to a digital copy of this novel via Netgalley*
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